


Prelude

by ArkadyFinch (ArkadyFlinch)



Category: Original Work
Genre: Cryptids, Disabled Character, Invisible character, Paranormal, Road Trip, Supernatural Elements, aiming for a weird mix of x files and ghost hunters, these two hunt anomalies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-26
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2019-07-03 01:24:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15808491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArkadyFlinch/pseuds/ArkadyFinch
Summary: A Prelude to my project for this year's NaNoWriMo.Nox and Eris hunt the things that shouldn't exist. Of course, before they do that, they have to get there. The beginning of a long road trip.Introducing my two stars of the story.





	Prelude

When Jade woke it was without the weight of Nox settled beside her. A roaming hand met with cool sheets, and she sat up quickly, for one terrible moment thinking that they’d left without telling her. Panic clenched in her stomach and she was halfway out of the bed before she heard a deep humming and sounds of movement coming from down the hall.

She got up, wrapping up in her robe to fight the cold of the early morning and tracked the source of the noise to their guest bathroom, and she stood in the doorway, coming down from her scare by degrees as she watched Nox go about their morning routine. 

Shaving cream coated their head and they steadily drew the razor across their crown, flicking the foam and the bristles into the garbage by their feet. It looked quite humorous, and she felt herself smirking as the dome of foam turned this way and that in the mirror, razor raising up above it before easing into the next stroke. 

Her eyes travelled down and her expression turned into a frown, seeing only boxers. “Aren’t you cold?”

“Hm?” The humming cut off as Nox looked down at the halloween themed boxers they were wearing and then their head bobbed in a gesture neither of them could see, before they remembered they were nude and vocalized, “Ah, no, I guess not.”

Jades frown only grew. Nox was  _ always _ cold. And they’d shaved just the other day, too. Unless they were leaving, they had no reason to do it so soon. Before she could open her mouth, though, a heavy sigh issued from them, and they said, “Yeah, I’m leaving today. Things have changed.”

Jade nodded, now that the mystery was solved she schooled her face to be less worried. They’d gone into this knowing that their lives were outside of the norm. Worry was a part of dating Nox as much as it was a part of dating someone like Jade. They’d agreed to keep in touch and never,  _ ever _ leave without saying goodbye. 

 

She watched Nox finish up shaving their head, and then the razor was cleaned and put away, and they slid out of their boxers, tossing them playfully at her before the shower curtain shifted, and the shower started. 

They didn’t bother closing the curtain all the way and so Jade sat on the closed toilet lid and watched the foam slide off of them, leaving nothing but the strange patterns the water traced in the air. 

 

Dating someone invisible had both its pros and its cons, but Jade never got bored of seeing the closest she’d ever get to see of their naked profile when they showered. Soap and water streamed down their chest and they wiggled, handprints forming in the soap and rubbing circles over their sides as she watched. She bit back a laugh and screamed when they flicked water at her. 

 

They finished up and ushered her out of the bathroom and back to their room while they threw on their clothes, taking the time to pick out their outerwear for later. As late into spring as they were, they had several layers to put on before leaving the house. 

 

She took the time to get ready, much more at ease with their presence in the room with her. They lounged about, so they weren’t too late, but she didn’t have to go out today, so she went through her own routine fairly quickly. 

Then, together, Nox’s rough, warm hand in hers, they went to the kitchen to start on breakfast.

 

Nox usually woke her up early enough before they left for one meal together; one of the many things they did to savor the time they had together while they had it.

 

They went for the pancake mix while she got coffee (for her) and tea (for them) ready. They worked quietly, neither of them exactly morning people. Once she was sitting with a stack of flapjacks and they were loudly sipping their tea, though, she had to ask. 

 

“How long?”

 

They swallowed and stirred more sugar into their tea - so much she could smell the sweet aroma from where she sat next to them - before answering. “A week. They think it’s a hoax, but we need to stay long enough to be sure.”

 

Hoaxes were good. Jade dug into the pancakes, watching them as they ate until their foot playfully kicking her calf knocked her out of her worrying. 

 

“And you? Anything while I’m gone?”

 

She shook her head, grateful that she’d requested that she get to stay home for the holidays. Nox had tried but, well, there weren’t a lot of people who do what they did. They were in high demand. 

 

“Aw,” they mumbled, from the sound of things mouth full, “Then when I come home we can go to those drinking and painting classes. That’ll be fun!” 

 

Jade snorted and giggled, the thought of them, two of the most dangerous people in the city, getting tipsy off of wine and painting beaches. God, she couldn’t wait. 

 

“Where are you headed?”

 

Nox hummed, “Florida. Not sure where.”

 

“Ooh, prepare to sweat! Get me a souvenir while you’re down there.”

 

They got up, grabbing their plate and kissed the tip of her nose on their way to the sink. 

 

“I always do.”

 

Too soon, they were all bundled up and covered from head to toe, grabbing their kit and heading toward the door. Jade watched from the safety of the hallway, calling after them, “Say hi to Eri for me!”

 

* * *

 

 

When Nox knocked on Eri’s door it was open, as it usually was. They let themself in and heard a splash come from the bathroom, they knocked on the wall in reply and busied themself clearing up the house. Eri used to have someone to help her, but for one reason or another hired help stopped coming. They weren’t sure if Eri fired them or if her prickly demeanor chased them off. They folded blankets, washed dishes, straightened up her bed and ate all of her leftovers when they were done. There wasn’t much, but they made the sacrifice to make sure nothing spoiled in her fridge while they were gone. 

They didn’t tell Jade about this part of going to pick up Eris. Cleaning up, making sure she was eating alright, this was a part of the job. They paused, putting dishes on the drying rack. No, not a part of the job, Eri was a close friend too. They couldn’t think of a friend they did these things for, though, not for a lack of them. 

They tossed the thought out of their head and finished up right when they heard Eri call for them. They turned on their heel and marched over to the bathroom, pausing just outside of the doorway, out of sight.

 

After a brief pause Eri cursed, “You  _ better _ not be naked, Nox.”

 

They cheerfully waved from the doorway, revealing their clothed form and she barked a laugh. 

 

This, too wasn’t something they discussed with Jade, though this was more because it wasn’t something they had the right to share and not because they thought she would get annoyed with Eris for making them clean up her house whenever they came over. 

 

Eri laughed and tsked. “I forgot my towel, care to grab me one?” 

 

Nox nodded and retrieved it, face turned politely away as they handed her the towel. Scales laid in a row along the edge of the sink, translucent and silvery in the dim light. They were beautiful but looked almost made of glass, if it weren’t for the opalescent sheen to them. Nox retreated to wait outside while Eri got dressed.

 

“Finally got acupuncture?”

 

“Yeah,” she grunted, pulling on her shirt and glaring at Nox’s politely turned back. “Phoenix came by this morning with his new boy. Pain’s better, but fatigue’s still a problem.”

Unwavered by her pessimistic tones, Nox clapped, “Yay! Was today your first round?”

 

Eri grunted in reply, and Nox took that as a yes. “Wait on it for a few treatments, it’ll get better.”

 

She grunted again and they heard her get into her chair, but waited for her say so before they turned around. She checked over her stuff before shooting them a thumbs up and donning her gloves. 

They followed her out the door, “Did you eat breakfast?”

 

Instead of answering she shot back, “Did you?” 

 

Her skin was pale, rings dark under her eyes. Eris always looked like her skin was clinging to her bones, even fully clothed she looked angular and thin.

 

“Nope!” They opened the door for her and stowed her chair once she climbed into the car. “How lucky! Where do you want to go for breakfast?”

 

“Don’t care. Need coffee.” 

 

Nox nodded, starting the SUV and heading for the nearest fast food restaurant to get their partner their caffeine fix. Then it was off to the highway and the beginning of their long, long drive south. 

 

Eri drank her coffee quickly and made a face, switching to her second cup - which she drank much slower - eyes trained out the window. Nox settled in and got comfy, used to the silence and the brooding. It was Eris’ way, and they didn’t find it annoying, after all these years being partners. 

 

“Phoenix have a new boyfriend?”

 

“Yeah. S’why he hasn’t been able to work on my new studs.” She clicked the piercing in her tongue against her teeth. 

 

Nox smirked, hidden both by their condition and under their scarf, “Aw, busy  _ cuddling? _ ”

 

Eri snorted, “No, he’s got some sort of family trouble they’re sorting out. If we didn’t have this assignment he’d have paid me to find the kids mom.”

 

Nox tsked, “Maybe when we come back we can help him?”

 

Eris shook her head, “He don’t have the money. You know how Boss is.”

 

Nox did know how the Boss was about charity cases, and made a mental note to call Phoenix during their assignment and see if there wasn’t  _ something _ they could do to help. The man was one of the few Eris kept around as a friend - which meant a lot more than it seemed. A great craftsman as well, Nox was in the process of asking for him to forge a wedding ring for Jade. 

Eris cut off his thoughts, “Florida, huh?”

 

“Yeah. Some sun would do you good.”

 

“Shut up.” She turned to the window and rested her forehead against it, hands picking at the skin of her upper arms. After a moment, “You read the dossier?”

 

“A bit. You?” 

 

She shrugged one shoulder. “Sounds like  _ something _ . Nothing heard of before in the region. The calls, the disappearances, the fact it’s in the dead of the swamp. It’s all pointing to something supernatural. Not just some hick calling in a Skunk Ape sighting.”

 

“The call came from one of the Boss’ friends too.” Nox had hoped it would be a hoax, but if Eris smelled something off about the case, then it likely was a genuine encounter with something outside of human comprehension. In which case they came in to fix, destroy, or hide whatever it was.

 

They huffed and made a note to send Jade a text before they got there. Phones always acted off around paranormal activity, no matter how strong the signal was before the trouble found them.

 

Eris put down her second cup of coffee and reluctantly began to eat. Nox stole one of her doughnuts to hear her grumble about it. 

 

Soon enough they settled back in for the drive, Eris substantially less grumpy now that she’d had her coffee and Nox put at ease knowing she’d eaten and that they were well on their way. 


End file.
